Vegetable and fruit sizing machine



Aug. 27, 1935. J. R, DRUMMOND VEGETABLE AND FRUIT SIZING MACHINE Filed Oct. 51, 1933 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 27, 1935. J. R. DRUMMOND VEGETABLE AND FRUIT SIZING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;, 31, 1953 mmmm gwuc wbo'o JR D/w mman J g re l i l nsi Patented Aug. 27, 1935 VEGETABLE Ps iasis-G moi-mm.

James R. Drummond, Onancq'ck, V Ap ication mm. a1, 1933'. S rial sates-.102

tmas. ('01. toe- 102) i v enfidn r 1atestoyes and fruit sizing machinesfand has .foran important object thereoi the prevision of a machine which is adapted to size "vegetables suchas beans, peas or the like, before they have been removed from the pods.

Another object of this invention is torpro'vide in a sizing machine of this type, means whereby the articles being sized are turned so as to be disposed lengthwise of the movement of the machine and the articlesthrough the machine.

v A further object of .thisinvention is to provide in a mac ne of. this type :a plurality of belts which are spacedapart the desired dist-anceand maintained in spaced relation so as to permit articles at undesired size to drop therebetween,

he belt be n o n tru ted as to gravitati-ngly force the articles in the direction of the space between adjacent belts.

. The above and various other. objects and. advantages of this invention will in part bedescribed and ir -part be understood from the. following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the. same being illustrated in the aco pa y ns aw ss WhG F iBPrv 1 sectio rt y in de i -p a e c wns r cted a cording to the n dem odim nt 0 this nvention Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in detail taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan. of the device showing the staggered relation of the article straightening members supported by the frame.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals'of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral |0 designates generally a frame structure includin end posts II and I2. The end posts|2 are connected together by means of a connecting member l3 and the end posts I are connected together by means of a connecting member l4. The end posts H and I2 are connected to each other by means of lower rails l5 and upper rails IS. A

pair of rollers or drums I1 and I8 are rotatably supported in the frame III by means of bearings l9 and 20, respectively. A plurality of endless belts or flexible mem- 7 bers, generally designated as 2|, are trained over these drums'll and IS. The top run 22 of the belts 2| is preferably horizontally disposed and the lower run 23 is engaged by an idler drum or pulley 24 journaled between the upperbars IS.

A hopper or collecting pan 25 is securedzto the frame between thetop run 22 andthe lowerrun 23 and is preferably secured to side boards ormembers 25 carried by the frame I! adjaeentthe' top thereof. This collecting 25 is provideds with a discharge neck 21 'wliichmay be engaged 1 by a suitable earryr'off means so that materialdropped into the hopper 25 may be removed iii-a suitable manner. The sides 26 ofthe frameifll extendabovethe top run 220: the-belts 2| and s V,

a pair of transversely extending supporting-bars 28 are supported between the 'sides2'6' above the toprun22 ofthebeltsfl." J a A plurality of depending article --a'l in'in'g or straightening members 29 the forniof 'lon t9. gated rods having V-shaped lower end portions 30 are secured between the bars 28 and overhang the top run 22 of the belts 2|. "The belts 2| are constructed with a flat lower side 3 I, avrshaped upper or outer surface 32 andstraightsides 33. 2 1):

The belts 2| are constructed with a- V- shapedsurface 32 for the purpose of. causing the'articls in the form of bean podsto gravitatingly move toward the space between adjacentbelts'; andit the pods are smaller than the space between 2? 1 adjacent belts,- the pods will fall through this space and into the hopper 251 I V v A secondseries' of straightening inembers--34 r are dependingly secured between a'pai'r of trans-f versely extending bars 35. The first series of 31) straightening members 29 are spaced vapart a distance whereby alternate runs of the belts 2| will be engaged thereby and the second series 34 of these straightening members is spaced apart a distance so 'as to engage the remaining of the 35 belts 2| so that any pods or. articles which are not straightened by the first series 29 will be straightened by vthesucceeding series 34.

In the present instance, these straightening members 29 and 34 are identical and are provided 40 with a threaded upper end portion 36 and upper and lower nuts 31 and 38, respectively, engage above and below the bars 28 so as to securely hold the straightening members 29 in adjusted position. The straightening members 34 are similarly constructed.

v A plurality of idling rollers as are rotatably supportedvbetween the side members 26 in a position to engage theunderside of the belts -2| beneath the upper run 22. In this manner, the run 22 between the two drums l1 and II! will be maintained straight. f

A plurality of belt separating or spacing members 40, in the form of elongated rods 4|, pro-.

vided with threaded lower end portions engaged 55.

' by 42, are supported by means of transversely extendingbars 43 in a position to engage.

the upper and lower runs 22 and 23 of the belts 2| and maintain the belts 2| in the desired spaced relation one relative to the other. In the present instance, there are-two of these spacing members 40 one adjacent the inner side of the drum l1 and the otheradjacent the inner side of the drum l8. A platform 44 is supported above the top of the side members 26 by means of posts 45, and ea tensions Q6 of the posts A power member in the form of a motor M is secured to the platform 44 and connected to the;

drum by means of a flexible member ll 'i trained ed to a gear train or reducing means associated 'Withthemotor M. The motor M is here. shown only diagrammatically, and it will be understood I that anyl other form of power means may be used to drivethe belts 2|.1 A table .52 is disposed adja' centtheintake side oflthe frame ID, and a-conveyormeans or belt 53.is disposed adjacent the opposite end of the frames! and is adapted to receive the articles :in the form of bean pods or the like, which do ,not pass between. the" spaced iInathe use andoperation .of this device, the articles in the form of bean pods are disposed ona table .52 and forced inany desired manner onto the intake end of the. upper run 22 'of the belts 2|. In the present instance the belts 2| rotate in a manner-whereby the upperrun 22 1noyesin thedirectionfrom the ends |2 to the end l. Initially, the bean pods are positioned on thebelts 2| in amore orless jumbled fashion, that is, a number of the pods will extend crosswise of the belts 2|, while others will be disposedlengthwise ofthebelts. and by reason of the veshaped upper portion 32 of these belts 3| the smaller or thinner of :the pods will drop between adjacent belts and into the hopper 25.; The pods which are disposed transverse to thelength of the belts 2| willbe at'least partially turned by engagement with the first series of straighteningniembers-29, :and if they are not entirely straightened soas tobe dis:

posed in a. direction. parallel with the. movement of the .belts 2|, the .seeondseries 34 of these 7 straightening: members will straighten the pods and the pods will be maintained in edgewise or substantially upright position between the adjacent belts by reason of the V-shaped upper side of the belts 2|. Any pods which are too thick to pass between the adjacent belts 2| will be carried "along until the end II is reached, whereupon these relatively large pods will be droppedonto the conveyor belt 53 and conveyed to any desired source. The pods culled out and dropping into the'hopper 25 may be removed through the discharge neck 2|. "The posts |2 are provided at spaced intervals with openings 54, through which belts or bars may be passed and the upper frame 7 bar |6 lowered or raised to the desired point 1 with'the opposite end which is engaged with the end posts II as a fulcrum. In this manner, the belts 2| can be loosened or tightened to the desired degree'as' the raising or lowering of the bars IE will raise or lower the idler drum 24.

' It is, of course, understood that various changes and-modifications may be made-in the details of construction anddesign of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing fromthespirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claim. 7 I Y -Whatis,-claimedis:- 1

;;-A sizingmachine comprisin a frame, a plu rality ofV-shaped sizing belts disposed in the frame in spaced relation to each other, means engaging one flat face-of the belts to support the belts :for movement in'the frame, one run'of said belts being substantially horizontal, means engaging the other run of the belts to maintain the belts in tight relation, means engaging said one run: of the belts to maintain said one run in substantially horizontal position, means for holding the belts in' spaced relation to each other, a plu-. rality of article straightening members, means for supporting said' members independent relation'above alternate belts," said members having a V'-shapednotch in the lower ends thereof confronting'the V-shaped upper surface of the belts and coacting with said means for holding the belts in spaced relation to each other'to hold the belts against lateral movement one relative to the other while-turning elongated articles on the belts in a position lengthwise of the belts; 

